RWBY: World War
by markmaron
Summary: [RWBY AU] The world falls into chaos after the events of World War 2 and is reborn as Remnant. Puck, a young tank mechanic was thrown into the ranks of a new conflict as he tries to find his place in the world along with the company of heroes who fight for peace. The war against the Third Salem is about to begin.
1. Prologue: Into the World of Remnant

**PROLOGUE:**

"History is a peculiar thing.

A once famous person said, 'Those who do not heed it are bound to repeat the same mistakes.'

If so, then the world really never cared about history at all…"

(Puck. 2nd month of year 2114)

* * *

In the year 1914, the First World War was fought between different countries that started from an assassination. Known as the Great War to end all of the wars, people fought for their freedom and their beliefs. After four years of intense fighting, sixteen million died for their own cause. Peace eventually came after the horrors of the war.

Humanity, a species that thrives in conflict, never learned their lesson and again led the world into another war at 1939. The Second World War, a story between countries expanding their own territory and countries defending their homeland continued to claim lives of millions of people. A conflict that lasted for six years tore families apart and razed towns and villages wherever it went. Weapons of mass destruction were being prioritized more than human lives.

Different ideologies led to different actions but one event turned the whole world upside down. It was a step back for humanity as one selfish action caused the collapse of everything.

When everybody thought that peace was once again at hand, the first Salem launched an intercontinental ballistic missile as a desperate move to gain the upper hand. It was used as a distraction for something much larger, a weapon that was meant to eradicate all living beings in the world.

The attack was successful.

The missile with its sheer power was directed to the moon and with every country having no technological capability to intercept the missile, failed. The moon shattered into millions of pieces and its effects had dire consequences.

It was known as the Great Calamity.

The gravitational field shifted, the tides became rough and covered a good part of the land. Due to the gravitational imbalance, the continents shifted and reformed trying to find its equilibrium. Pieces of the moon started to fall and caused destruction with every impact. The world that was once so strong and proud was no more, only a remnant of what it was.

Humans were resilient, they found ways to survive despite their diminishing numbers hiding underground and avoiding extinction. However, their problems were just starting. Nuclear power plants exploded and caused great radiation and mutation to every living thing around it. As time went by, a group of humans developed strange characteristics, body parts of other life forms. They were regarded as 'Faunus' or demi-human, derived from an old myth. Animals were affected as well; they became more aggressive and wild. Their mutation was far worse from that of the humans. Soon they hunted the remaining population and became rampant. Beasts that radiated ferocity and caused fear were called 'Grimm' to warn people to flee at their very sight.

A century and a half later, the world became a habitable place once again. It was reborn and was named Remnant as a reminder that we were living in a broken world. The plants thrived and strange creatures ran around. The moon's silhouette was still in pieces but humanity still pushed through. Relics from the past era were everywhere and salvaging them became a priority. Weapons were being collected. Tanks were rebuilt as an attempt to study how things came to be. History was slowly pieced together along with its technological advancements.

But another person had another idea. A direct descendant of the first Salem, the second Salem worked in the shadows to continue his ancestor's work planting the seeds that would lead to the Second Great War of today…

(A Summary on the History of Remnant. Chapter 1. Page 5-11)

* * *

"Phew, that was a heavy introduction! I have to thank her for lending me this book."

I grabbed my toolkit and wore my cap, then, an expected knock on the door soon followed.

"Hey Puck! Good morning! Let's head out shall we?"

"Yes, Sergeant Ruby Rose! Puck reporting for duty!" I shouted.

"Forget all of the formalities. Just call me Ruby. Let's go!"

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **I have never seen RWBY until last December and I was totally captured by the lore. I watched the heck out of it during the holiday vacation. I've always loved history and thought of combining these two topics. Anyway, this series would be a balance of original ideas and a sort of retelling of the series so far but not so much that it would be predictable. The elements are in there and I hope that you enjoy this new story of mine.**

 **Cheers!**


	2. The Hero's Entrance

**Chapter 1: The Hero's Entrance**

What is a hero?

Does that person need to have a legendary weapon? Great power? A quest of grand scale? A mountain of gold? Or even a beautiful heroine that will always stand by his side?

These are questions that I have always asked myself. My father told me stories about renowned soldiers with great passion and emotion while my mother would also tell me the same stories every single night. Their stories were so good they filled me with great enthusiasm every time I listened to them. It made me want to be one of those heroes so bad that I would pretend to be one every single day.

I would always brandish a sword or a gun, made of scrap wood, around the village while playing with my friends. Every swing and aim made me feel that everything was real that I was a real hero and my friends were my companions in defeating evil monsters.

In a small village found in the outskirts of Mistral, everything was serene. A group of people lived a very peaceful way of life. I felt satisfied already to help father in his farming and assist mother with her sewing and cooking. I have always accepted that my path would be the same as my parents leaving a life of peace even though deep in my heart, I really wanted to be a hero.

Then it happened. Everything vanished in just a single moment. Everything was gone. There was nobody left. The Grimm attacked my village.

I kept screaming for help.

Somebody!

Anybody!

I wished for a hero to come and save us but the reality was that there was no one to even save me.

In my dwindling conscience, I asked myself again what a hero really meant because being one… that was a fool's dream.

* * *

It was a sunny and beautiful morning in the kingdom of Vale, a bustling center of trade and commerce that also boasted its military might. Although it is a place with a controlled environment, it was peaceful in its own way. The rustling wind made the leaves and branches of a nearby tree sway back and forth producing a beautiful sound. It made three colorful birds sing on the treetops as I had finished setting up my store and flipped the sign from 'Closed' to 'Open' ready to welcome old and new customer. My shop is not very big but it was something that I was proud of. It is a stand-alone store with a few items such as refreshments and other supplies but my main trade is selling tank parts that I have scavenged. From bolts and nuts to tracks and guns as long as I could haul them myself, I have it in my shop. Every morning, a supply officer makes rounds to all stores who can provide parts and ammunitions for the army.

I looked in the mirror placed in the side of the shop to check if I was dressed properly. Everything looked the same, the unkempt light brown hair covered by an oversized cap strapped with goggles, a large brown jacket that covered my neck up to my thighs, a simple pair of boots, short pants and lastly, a big belt bag made of 5 different compartments where I put most of my money and personal belongings. After I made sure that everything was fixed, I brought out my best smile signalling the start of the day.

"Hey there shorty! Business is no good?"

"Aaaaagghhh you scared me Mills!"

A big man towering more than 6 feet with a bald head and dark skin wearing a simple shirt walked up behind me. That man was Mills, a merchant just like me. I have learned a lot about selling and negotiating from him. Like me, he is one of the few remaining parts scavenger merchants. The army recently deciphered old texts pertaining to the mass production of weapons.

"How about your shop Mills? Are your profits still high?"

"Nope. Ever since the rise of those new kinds of machineries and weapons, my clients got fewer and fewer. I'm thinking of selling weapons in my store if it continues at this rate. Then, you'd have less competition! Hahaha!"

The big dark man said with a hearty laugh.

"But wait, I heard that having those kind of weapons would have very high tax placed on it by the kingdom, are you really sure?"

"It's not like I have a choice, do I? Well business is still business nevertheless and we have to keep up to competition to survive, I'd suggest that you do the same thing before you get left too far behind or you'll start losing 'Lien'."

"Uwaaahhh… I don't have that enough money to spare yet. I'll keep that in mind. Thanks!"

I shouted as the big man who was more suited of being a soldier than a merchant left to go to the other side of the kingdom where his store is located.

* * *

Being a scavenger merchant at this age is really hard work. It is always the army personnel, who get recognized as the heroes. They get to go on missions around the world with their weapons. The world is divided into four different superpowers, first is the kingdom of Vale in which I am currently staying at. The others are Mistral, Vacuo and Atlas. I have no idea about the status of other kingdoms except that of Vale. What I can say is that different places has its different customs and some of these clash with the others and so they have fought each other over the years using rebuilt technology from the past era.

Aside from that, there is the danger of being attacked by a Grimm, a monster that loves to prey on humans. Several cases of deaths were reported since the foundation of the four kingdoms. To think that they would rather fight each other than join their resources and defeat those monsters still confuses me. Unfortunately, these beasts have strong constitutions and would take a lot of ammunition to defeat a single one. The most effective way to kill them using swords, spears and arrows so in short, modern combat against other nations and physical fighting against the Grimm.

Lastly, there is still the mass disapproval pertaining to the Faunus. They are seen as impure humans, beasts or in the worst case, as slaves. Rumors say that the Faunus would later turn into Grimm when they lose their consciousness but Mills told me they were just humans who got affected by the Great Calamity, an event of unspeakable horror that wiped out most of the past civilization and erased history. The Faunus live in secluded places away from the humans.

As for me, I just want to live a peaceful life selling items in my own little shop. It really took hard work to acquire from being just a mere scavenger. It was 2 years ago when I arrived at this kingdom with no knowledge of who I am and where I came from, all I remembered was I am different from the people around me. An anonymous person passed me to Mills who took care of me. He taught me all of the things that I needed to know in order to stand on my own two feet. He was also the person who gave me a name. So now, people call me Puck, mainly because of my small stature. They often tease me by calling me shorty, beansprout and other names just to make fun of me. I really did not care on how they ridiculed me as long as my secret is not revealed to them.

My secret?

My secret is that I am hiding my true identity underneath all these clothes. I am a…

Faunus.

* * *

Looking at the stone built castle always relaxes my nerves. The stone pavements and the fountain with a baby holding out a jar where the water pours out never fails to amaze me. It was two hours ago since Mills came by to visit and I haven't talked to a single living creature ever since.

"I'm bored! Is the supply officer not coming today? So bored!"

It was noon already and no one has even entered my store. As I started to doze off, I was awakened by a voice. I immediately shot up to the air and my feet also left few inches from the ground in surprise while adjusting my cap.

"Hey shorty! Wake up! How much for these parts?"

"I…I…I thi...think it is about 100 Lien!"

"What? 100 Lien for these rusted visor and spur gear? They're completely useless. This is a scam!"

Even though my price was that given by the supply officer, this man's request was unreasonable. His rude attitude was hard to deal with but I had to still say something. I tried to stand up straighter but I stammered as I continued to negotiate.

"N…No! It is from a Sherman tank that I discovered while digging outside the kingdom. I-It won't break easily."

"Okay how about lowering the price to 20 Lien then we'd have a deal. How about that?"

"B…But…"

"But what? Do we have a deal or what?"

The transaction was going on for five minutes but it felt like an hour. He was clearly bullying me and people were already forming a semi-circle in front of my store. For a whole month, I haven't seen a lot of people in my store but this was the opposite from what I wanted. I was already considering his offer just to make the people go away.

"I'd buy those for 200 Lien!"

A voice came from the back of the crowd. The crowd made way for the mysterious person

"Yup, I'd like to buy them for 200 Lien."

"You must be crazy little miss! You see, I am the famous Gen…"

"I SAID… I like to buy that rusty visor for 200 Lien!"

I was dumbfounded with what was happening in front of my little peaceful store, but what shocked me was that someone was willing to buy parts for more than its worth. Only the supply officer dictates the best price for a part with a little allowance for our profit.

"I will not be treated this wa…"

"Excuse me, mister? If you are not really interested with what you are holding right now, can you please give it to me?"

"I will not be looked down by someone like yo…"

"Come here little guy. Please compute and decide which offer you would take; This man's 20 Lien or my 2 Lien offer? It's your choice."

"Uuu…uuhhhh…"

The tables have completely turned as the man who was bullying me awhile ago was left speechless by this lady who came out of nowhere. His face was turning as red as a tomato with embarrassment and suppressed anger.

"Shorty! What kind of ethics do you have as a merchant to even consider taking her offer when I came here first?"

"Will you please stay quiet? He is still trying to consider my offer."

"Y…You are really pushing it missy! I am just holding my rage because you are a girl but you are getting on my nerves!"

"Fufu"

"How dare you laugh at me! You are going home crying to your mommy.. Hyaaaaaa!"

The man took out a handgun and targeted the girl's left thigh. He pulled the trigger and the bullet was released at an amazing speed. The bullet was getting closer to her body. My innate senses could keep track of it's speed and distance.

10 inches… 5 inches… 2 inches…

Like an illusion, the lady just walked casually towards the man as the bullet flew past her. The people ran in all directions out of fear of being shot. Suddenly, he realized that his fingers did not have the sensation of holding something anymore, as if the gun he held a few seconds ago melted into thin air. He looked around and didn't even see the silhouette of his target. As fast as things developed, the match had already been decided.

Two cold steel touched the rampaging man's neck. Cold sweat was dripping from both side of his face as he tried to cope with the current situation.

"Please don't resist anymore. I don't want anybody to get hurt. Not in my off days."

"Let go of me you witch! I am sure that the authorities will be coming to my aid in a few minutes and you holding me like this will prove me innocent."

"For you information, I am asking you nicely since I really don't want to pull the trigger. But keep squirming around and my finger might slip accidently."

"He…Help me! Anyone! This woman is deranged and clearly possessed by evil. S-She is a Faunus! T-That's right! Ca-Call the authorities!"

A short giggle came from the mysterious woman and I felt cold from my feet upwards. Maybe this lady was really possessed. I don't even know if she came to save me or maybe take my life a little later after she was done with the rude man.

"Kukuku… You don't get it mister? Are you new in this kingdom? Because if you are, you probably won't notice a soldier's standard uniform. In this area… I am the authority" she said in an embarrassed tone. "…well not today, today is my off day."

"HYAAAAAAAAGGGGHHH! I'm sorry! Please spare my life… huhuhuhu"

"1st Armored Division, Combat Brigade Sergeant Ruby Rose, I order you to stand down!"

A calm but very commanding voice came from the back of the crowd. A man decorated with several brooch on his chest and military patches at the side of his arm walked towards the center of the commotion. With his subtleness you won't even feel intimidated, but there was a certain clarity that offered the woman named Ruby no space to argue back.

"That's enough. I think this man learned his lesson."

"Yes, I understand."

"This man was discovered to have infiltrated the castle walls at late night yesterday. We will take him to the interrogation room to ask him questions. Will you let us take it from here?"

Although it was said in a form of question, it was much implied that it wasn't an option but a direct order.

"Thank you for saving me from that monster, that Faunus!" he said with conviction. "…I will tell you the whole story of how she mistreated an innocent man and even went on a rampage…"

"The army takes priority in the collection of tank parts and weapons. It is forbidden for men like yourself to make such unwarranted purchases. Guards, take him to the castle." The stern man shifted his attention to me. "And you boy, I hope you learn your lesson in dealing with non-army personnel. All parts collected after being cleaned and fixed must be given to this area's supply officer and no one else. Understood?"

'S-Sir! Yes Sir!"

Just like that, everyone went away and activities continued like nothing happened. All of the adrenaline rush was still coursing through my veins and yet it felt like a dream. A bad dream.

"What just happened?"

The strength in my knees suddenly crept out and immediately became wobbly. I fell to the ground still shocked about what happened earlier and yet everything became peaceful again. The birds started chirping and the wind swayed the leaves and branches producing a relaxing sound. I started hearing the water from the fountain again and felt the cold stone pavement I was sitting on. Another sound came to my senses and I realized that these were footsteps walking towards me. A shadow covered me and all I could do was stare at the lady's silhouette in awe. I was expecting a scary voice that would suck my soul dry to start speaking but instead a soft voice that started calming my nerves reached me.

"Hey little guy, are you alright?"

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Just a reminder, the personalities of the characters won't be a carbon copy of the gang that we loved to suit the story better. I will try to keep their personalities as much as I could but I can't make promises.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this story.**

 **Cheers!**


	3. Sherman X Tiger

**Chapter 2: Sherman X Tiger**

I could not believe that a person with such a small body could take on a fully grown man and treat him like he was nothing. Getting a closer look at the girl named Ruby, she was no more than sixteen years old. I was sucked into a trance with just observing her features. The short black hair, marble white skin and silver eyes was a rare feature amongst the people.

"I said, are you okay?" she repeated.

Still seeing that I'm in a daze, she reached out for my hand. At first I hesitated and started getting up on my own, but it was of no use because I really could not stand up. I decided to grab the hand that was offered. Her hand was smooth and soft as silk and I really got embarrassed to be able to hold such a delicate hand with my torn up mitts I use when I scavenge for old relics. I also felt something that was out of place, it was a certain firmness of the muscles in her hand making it not so delicate after all.

"Wow, you really are short! How old are you?" she asked.

"How rude?! Usually you should ask for someone's name first before anything else."

"Okay. I'm Ruby. Ruby Rose, and you are?"

An innocent anticipation was plastered on her face. At least I know that she genuinely wants to know me.

"My name is Puck… fifteen years old, at least what I've been told."

"No way! You look like you are just eight! To have met such a cute person at my free day, this must be my lucky day!" she puffed her chest. "Well then Mr. Puck, it is decided! You will accompany me for today."

"Wait! What about my store? The supply officer might come very soon."

She slapped her hand on my back and laughed a little.

"Don't worry about that. I can have someone pick up your merchandise later. Come now!

I closed my store and decided to take her offer. The incident earlier made me want to take a break as well. She led me to different alleyways of which I could not remember. I didn't know that these places existed in the first place. We walked a lot until we stopped in front of an old house. She knocked a few times but there was no answer.

"Shouldn't we leave?" I asked.

"Leave? After working hard for my day pass after two weeks? I can't just return to the barracks without getting something here."

"What are we getting anyway?"

She looked at me in a mischievous manner and whispered softly in my ear.

"We are here to get some newly discovered old texts. I heard rumors about the whereabouts of a scavenger who always found such important relics."

"I see!"

My curiosity was piqued as well. These texts were said to be of extreme value and they hold information about the past era. The door opened before us and I entered excitedly only to feel a cold steel in my forehead. I looked up and saw the barrel of a rifle in between my eyes.

"Uwaaaahhhhhh!"

I fell down on my bottom for the second time today. An old man was still pointing his gun at my face and my mind went totally blank. I was about to cry when his serious face broke into a smile that continued to hysterical laughter.

"Got you! Consider yourself dead little boy! HAHAHAHA…"

"Geez gramps! You never changed at all."

"Well if my eyes aren't lying to me, Ruby!" he chuckled. "Can you blame an old man for entertaining himself?"

They briefly hugged each other and went to the deeper part of the dark house. I rose up and followed them inside keeping my alert up for any surprises. Arriving at the basement of the house, noting else was visible but I could find my way through scent and hearing. The basement smelled of rotten papers and food. The smell was invasive.

"I am actually quite impressed by your friend Ruby, he walks with us as if he has memorized this place..."

After his remark, he pulled a string and the lights opened immediately causing my eyes to hurt.

"and that's quite a unique dilation of eyes. Certain features of a…"

"Is this it gramps?" Ruby interjected.

I felt a sudden chill at the old man's observation skills. He was quite sharp for his age.

"The one and only! After 3 days, I have deciphered the title of that text."

"What does it say?"

"The title is, Tank Spotter's Guide: A Detailed Review."

My ears couldn't believe the old man's words. A tank guide? There was no known extensive information about tanks in the four kingdoms. Most of the information about these huge mechanical monsters were only about their names and basic information. I quickly squeezed my head between them to take a peek.

"I am familiar of some of the tanks here. Oh! A Sherman tank, we used one just like this in Fort Beacon."

"That's right! I remember the first time I saw you driving one, almost running over your commanding officer."

"You told me you weren't going to bring it up again!"

The old man chuckled once again. Shutting out his noisy laugh was easy the moment my eyes laid on the pages of the text. The front, side and overview of the tank were clearly detailed and I would have never imagined for it to look like the way the book showed. I've only seen the inside and half buried ones. Mills always took apart the tanks whenever they hauled one.

"America… 76mm gun…"

"What did you say?!" The old man took my shoulder and looked directly into my eyes. "How did you know such confidential information? Are you a spy?"

"What? No! I just saw it here in the book."

His grizzled hair and pointy nose were practically touching my face as he stared at my face closer. He released me and went for the book to flip some of the pages. When he found something that he was satisfied with, he placed the book in front of me and pointed at the image of a tank. My eyes once again fell into the image of a new one. I could only feel a certain sense of power from the imposing image of the machine.

"Wow! That one is a beautiful tank!" I could only explain my wonder.

"Not that one! I mean read the details in this one." He urged.

"Oh okay. Hmmmm… it just says that it was developed by G-G-Ger-Germany? Its main weapon was an 88mm gun and weighs around 50 to 60 tons. What are tons?"

He slowly backed away and found himself in a chair. The old man took his glasses and looked at me once again, scrutinizing every part of my being.

"Ruby, who is this friend of yours? Where did you meet him?"

"His name is Puck. I met him just today at the outer level of the kingdom. He sells tank parts so he must be knowledgeable about them. Is there something wrong?"

"Nobody knows this kind of information; even I tried to decipher the scripts of the past era. It took me a long time to just get the title right. Young man, how can you read texts?"

I didn't know the answer to be honest. Sure, the letters are different from what is used daily but I could just read and understand it naturally. There was nothing I could do but stare back at the old man, trying to suppress his disbelief. As if startled by lightning, he scrambled for a pen and a piece of paper and started jotting down the information I said earlier.

"88mm gun… hmmm… then how would that stabilize the recoil of that force?... but it also weighs a lot!... must be a heavy one…" he looked at me once again and asked. "The name?"

"ummmm…" I looked back and searched for the name. "It says here, Tiger."

"Tiger! What a beautiful name for a beast of this size. If I am right, then not even two or maybe three of the Shermans can withstand an attack from this."

The old man looked at Ruby once again, a smile creeping in his face.

"I want this boy recruited at the Armored Division as soon as possible! He might be the key to break the stalemate!" he pranced around like a crazy man. "I won't be asking for details for now, but we must keep this a secret. Oh! The horrible things that might happen if people knew you had this ability Haha!"

Things were happening too fast and I didn't want the direction the conversation was leading to. I tugged Ruby's uniform.

"I hate to break this celebration after you saved me but to be honest, I don't want to be part of any of this. I'm just a scavenger selling parts and relics. I have no idea about being in the army."

"That is understandable. Nobody is pushing you into doing anything. Gramps here is just too excited after being away from civilization for so lo- OUCH! What did you do that for?"

"I see you learned to talk behind me now. Then let us fix that! I will come out of retirement and Major Bill Graham will be reporting immediately." Bill sat down. "Ruby, have him placed in the 1st Division as well. Take care of him now!"

My eyes full of pity seemed to have affected Ruby but there was nothing she could do at the moment. It looked like Bill was a retired ranking officer in the army. It felt like I was being pulled into something and I was gradually losing control. My plan for the day was to just sell my loot and scavenge some more like I did everyday for the past two years. Never did I imagine to be enlisted in the army.

"I don't want to! I'm heading back. If you want something deciphered, I can help you from time to time for a fee but that's it."

"Puck!"

* * *

There was nothing more to do but storm out. On my way out, I still doubted myself because deep inside I really wanted to learn more about the things I've been taking apart. Seeing those texts was a once in a lifetime moment and every step towards the door made me regret so much it hurt.

It was the moment I opened the door that the sirens started blaring. An alarm like that could only mean one thing, the kingdom was being attacked by an invasion force. People ran towards the safety of buildings and find shelter. Soon the loud engines of Vale army resounded at different points of the kingdom readying themselves for the incoming threat. The kingdom walls in the far right suddenly erupted after a deafening explosion.

"Puck!" Ruby pulled me inside the house as fast as she could. "Get down!"

She covered me with her body as we hit the floor and another explosion occurred. The wall crumbled further and we were at the front of the breach.

"If only I was at the headquarters, I could get the team ready." She gritted her teeth.

The door opened and Ruby as if on cue, shot using her sidearm. It missed the target but I soon realized that it was a warning shot for the civilian who entered the house.

"Please let me hide, just until it is safe out there. Just until it is safe." The boy pleaded.

Ruby never said a word but kept her full attention at the boy. Bill immediately came up checked our status. He didn't utter a single word until he saw the stranger cowering by the door.

"Who is this?" he asked.

"Please let me hide. Please!"

"What in the seven seas are you talking about? We aren't hiding. The numbers are complete! We will delay the enemy's advance until reinforcement comes!"

A contorted expression enveloped Ruby's face as she realized Bill's plan of action.

"No Major! We can't drag two civilians into this fight. They would just endanger us as a unit!"

"I will nothing of that nonsense. This is an attack! Sergeant Rose, put those two in their feet and we will hold the line."

He wore his cap and placed a pipe in his mouth then it dawned to me that he was the renowned commander of the armoured division Mills always told me about.

"Right now, Sergeant Rose, Private Puck and Private… what's your name, boy?"

"Arc, sir. Jaune Arc."

"What kind of name is Arc? What's an Arc? Regardless Private Coward, you are an enlisted man at this point. Follow orders or you shall be court martialed. Your choice?"

Jaune contemplated for a second and stood up.

"You leave me no choice, sir." the crack in his voice showed his fear.

"Smart boy! Better scared than dead as I always say."

We ran towards the basement once more and he opened a hatch that led a level down further. It looked like a workshop of some sort. A large thing was veiled under a thick cloth. It was obvious what was underneath and needed no explanation. As Bill pulled the cloth off, it revealed a Sherman tank but it was not exactly the one I saw at the texts. It had a longer gun and a different turret. The major tried to crank the engine up but it wasn't starting.

"Major, this is the missing tank from the warehouse! This tank does not work properly."

"Quit your yappin' sergeant! Private Coward, come in here and help me fix the wiring."

Everyone else entered the tank. Jaune helped Bill fix the wiring and Ruby turned the engine on. A few tries and black smoke came out of the muffler. The engine was alive and ready to run.

Bill sat on the driver's seat pulling different levers with both hands. Ruby positioned herself at what I presume to be the gunner's. Jaune was hugging his knees and both of us didn't know what to do.

"Private Puck, get the book at the assistant driver's seat and sit at the commander's chair. Identify the enemy tanks, their positions and search for their weak spots. Private Coward, be of some use and load the shells into the cannon. Push with your knuckles and take your hand away as soon as possible then yell 'Clear'. Everybody wear some ear muffs because this going to be noisy, got that?"

"Yes, sir!" both of us said weakly.

"Rose, you don't have a spotter so measure the distance for yourself. You know what to do!"

"Yes, sir!" she answered as well.

Just like that, I was dragged in something far worse than entering the army. I was about to enter my first fight inside a modified Sherman.

* * *

*Thud* *Thud*

I couldn't differentiate my heartbeat from the whirring sound of the engine. The noise just drowned my ears so much. The ground rose like an enormous elevator. Soon enough, sunlight hit the cold steel of the sleeping beast and we were out in the open. Bill pushed some levers and the tank moved forward. The wall that stood to protect the outer layer of the kingdom was all crumbled on the ground.

"Tank on our right side!"

I spotted one immediately entering the far end of the breach. Ruby turned the turret and searched for the tank at the distance but out of panic, she couldn't locate its exact position.

"Where exactly?!" she yelled.

"It is already in front of you! We've been spotted!"

I noticed the enemy's gun slowly lining towards us. Without leaving the target, Rotated the body of our tank to get a look.

"For Vale's sake sergeant, 1 o' clock!" Bill yelled. "Puck have you identified?"

"I can't see that far away, sir!"

"Then use the binoculars, damn it!"

The binoculars were strapped in a pin beside me and I fumbled with it as fast as I could to properly identify the enemy. The increased sight revealed the one enemy I didn't want to meet. My breathing stopped for a moment but I knew I had to relay the information.

"T-T-T-TIGER!"

"Bloody hell! Sergeant, fire!"

Jaune picked up a shell and loaded it in the gun as instructed. Ruby held her breath for a moment and adjusted her sights before firing. Even with the ear muffs, a sound as loud as thunder shook the entire tank. An absolute weapon could only fire something of immense force. The shot only bounced off the armor of the Tiger.

"We didn't penetrate! The shot was negative!"

"Ruby, try targeting the rear part of the tank!"

At that moment, the enemy shot and grazed the top of the turret. I thought that I was done for. Bill quickly maneuvered backwards and hid behind another building. He brought the tank forward to take a peek but the enemy was waiting. Another shot missed us. Ruby, unfazed, readjusted her scope and fired at the rear part but missed

Bill moved further backward and moved into the narrow alleyways, sparks flying from our sides as steel hits stone walls at both sides. The enemy advanced trying to catch up to its fleeing enemy but the major knew the streets at the back of his head. He encircled the advancing Tiger with the exposed rear.

"A.P. Round! Load!" Bill shouted.

"What?"

"There's only one kind of shell in here. Just load the damn thing already!"

"Clear!" Jaune yelled.

Ruby shot with all of her concentration and connected at the enemy's engine. The tank was enveloped with fire and a few seconds later another explosion erupted and blew the turret off. I could just imagine the blood-curling screams of the men inside the tanks. A voice suddenly came from the radio on the side.

"Hello?"

"Unidentified Sherman! What is your designation? Respond immediately or we will open fire!"

"I don't know my designation but I am with somebody you might know."

Ruby grabbed the radio from me and replied in her most calm voice.

"Sgt. R-Ruby Rose here! 1st Division Combat Brigade, stand down! I repeat, stand down."

"Copy that Sergeant!"

Bill started to laugh while Jaune collapsed on the floor, exhausted from the battle. Ruby gave me a reaffirming smile while I clutched the text in my arms. My shoulders dropped and I could feel the fatigue crawling into every bit of my body.

"Enemy tank destroyed, Major!"

A grave mistake for my first battle.

At the side of my eyes, I saw an incoming tank running at full speed. We were rammed at the side which sent me flying to the wall. My head, only protected by a soft cap and earmuffs, hit the steel wall and I fell on the floor beside Jaune. There was only white noise that surrounded me. Jaune quickly stood up and grabbed another shell as Bill and Ruby regrouped their selves. I wanted to get up quickly but my body didn't obey.

Somebody!

Anybody!

Help!

The image of a young boy screaming for help came to me. Suddenly, I was in his place. I wanted to help him but all I could say was…

"Save your breath… nobody is coming…"

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **This is a work of fiction. Not every detail about this will be 100% accurate so if you have problems with the details, please PM me so I could correct it. Thank you!**

 **A tank-centric chapter if I must say.**

 **I hope you enjoy and support this story.**

 **Cheers!**


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